This invention relates to a syringe holder.
A common, simple syringe consists of a glass tube with a needle projecting from its forward end, and an out-turned flange at its open, rear end. The dose is trapped and ejected through the needle by a plunger entered through this rear end. At manufacture, and until just before use, the needle is encased in a shroud to keep it sterile, and to prevent accidental pricking. Such a syringe will be referred to as of the kind described.
These syringes may be used on their own, but their small size and the slipperiness of the glass tube make them difficult to handle, particularly for self-users such as sufferers from rheumatoid arthritis.
There are various firing devices into which such a syringe can be inserted, these generally having the appearance of a fountain pen. These are larger and easier to handle, and the actual injection may be carried out by a spring mechanism released by a trigger. Often, these pen-like devices have a cap arrangement which, when removed just before use, takes with it the needle shroud.
However, such elaboration is not always required, and there is believed to be a demand for something that will make handling the basic syringe easier and the removal of the needle shroud simple and safe. This invention is aimed at that.
According to the present invention there is provided a syringe holder comprising a barrel to receive a syringe of the kind described through its open rear end, against whose rim the outwardly projecting flange at the rear of the syringe will abut when the syringe is fully inserted, and a sleeve screw threaded onto the forward end of the barrel with an inturned flange at its own forward end forming an aperture through which a needle cap on a syringe can snap when the syringe is fully inserted and when the sleeve is screwed to its rearmost position, screwing the sleeve forward from that position causing the flange to ease the cap off the syringe needle.
Once the needle cap has been removed, the sleeve is screwed back again fully to expose the needle and the syringe is ready for injection.
Conveniently, the barrel will have opposed wings rearwardly of the sleeve to afford a finger grip so that the user holds the assembly there and then pushes on the plunger.
The rear end of the barrel may have two opposed cut away portions leaving the rim at the rear of the barrel with two arcuate sections on which the syringe flange will bear. This makes the syringe easier to grip and remove after use.
Preferably, the sleeve will be captive to the barrel. This can be achieved by the sleeve having angled slots into which projecting studs on the barrel can snap on assembly, these slots and studs also forming the screw-threaded engagement.
Further, lesser projecting studs may be provided on the barrel and be arranged to snap into the rear ends of the slots when the sleeve is in its rearmost position. Thus the retracted sleeve is lightly held and will require positive manipulation, to move it forwards.